United States Department of State (Washington, DC)
13 July 2007
Washington, DC — The artists' business group Village Artisanal de Ouagadougou (VAO) has perfected the notion of one-stop shopping. Its campus, in Burkina Faso's capital, Ouagadougou, houses a boutique, a café and workshops for more than 500 artisans who create a wide variety of handicrafts and home décor.
The number of artisans under its roof makes VAO the leading producer of handicrafts in Burkina Faso. Master craftsmen and their apprentices produce large volumes of bronze and ebony sculptures, handwoven cloth purses and wall hangings, traditional musical instruments, wooden children's toys, wrought silver and gold jewelry, dyed baskets, pottery and leather bags and boxes.
That product diversity means VAO can meet international market demands. The artists' group now exports to the United States, Canada, Europe and North Africa. And many of its products are duty-free when exported to the United States, since Burkina Faso became eligible in 2005 to benefit from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) West Africa Trade Hub has sponsored VAO exhibits at U.S. trade shows, provided technical assistance and linked VAO products with U.S. buyers. In 2005, the cooperative shipped Tuareg leather boxes to the parent company of retail giants T.J. Maxx and Marshalls. In 2006, VAO expanded its U.S. client base, selling to Cost Plus World Market, Tesoros Trading Company and others.
VAO provides training for its artisans, holding sessions on such subjects as product design and pricing. The aim is for graduating artisans to improve their businesses using the lessons learned.
In 2006, VAO's products were spotlighted at Pangea, the educational retail shop and café at the headquarters of the International Finance Corporation in Washington.
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